Moore heating up again (Nats fall 3-2)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP

Score: Astros 3, Nationals 2

Recap: Max Scherzer pitched four scoreless innings today, allowing just a hit and a walk with three strikeouts. He threw 60 pitches, 29 for strikes, in his longest outing of the spring. Tyler Moore hit his seventh extra-base hit of the exhibition season when he smoked a double to the right-center gap in the first. He's now 10-for-21 in Grapefruit League play.

Need to know: Reliever Heath Bell struggled in the fifth inning, giving up three runs on three hits and a walk. Casey Janssen pitched a scoreless sixth. He hasn't allowed a run in three innings. Jordan Zimmermann makes his third start tomorrow against the Astros at Space Coast Stadium.

On deck: Monday, vs. Houston Astros, 1:05 p.m
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Tyler Moore's red-hot spring continued through his first two at-bats this afternoon. Moore, starting at first base, is 2-for-2 with a double. He's now batting .500 (10-for-20) with a homer, a triple, five doubles and seven RBIs. He's hit most of his extra-base hits to the opposite field, including today's two-bagger.

Clint Robinson has the other Nationals hit today. The big first baseman/outfielder has put together a nice spring batting .421 (8-for-19) with one homer and four RBIs.

It's been a pretty strong outing for Max Scherzer so far. He's given up one hit and walked one in three scoreless innings.

We're all scoreless after three innings.

Update: Second baseman Dan Uggla hit a solo home run to give the Nats a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Uggla is now 4-for-18 (.222) with a homer and three RBIs in the exhibition season.

The Astros answered with three runs against Heath Bell in the bottom half of the inning. Bell allowed four straight baserunners in the frame on a triple, double, single and a walk.

The Astros lead 3-1 in the seventh.